A/N: Here's chapter 5:D Credits are at the bottom, as well as my playlist while I worked on this chapter I felt like sharing it with you all
Disclaimer: I do not own HP
Chapter 5: Happy Birthday
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She's goes by Casey Barrett.
Richard Granger was pacing his office. He felt triumphant. I have finally found my daughter! He rejoiced in his head. Finally. Thanks to that man, George Weasley, he gave me a jump start, telling me about the call from Hermione. This is wonderful.
But she somehow managed to slip from his grip once again.
It took him years to find her, she managed to run away from him, and the army of body guards surrounding her. It was always a mystery on how she snuck out unnoticed. His daughter, his beloved daughter will finally be home—along with part of the Weasley fortune—he felt a huge smile creep up his face. The American newspaper was finally shipped to his house. And to his surprise, she was with the Potter boy.
The Potter boy. The son of that blasted James Potter.
James managed to get the promotion meant for him. And now he's trying to get his daughter.
That'll never happen.
So right now, he was planning to get her back. Stealth. Yes. Stealth is an important factor.
It would take him at least a month or two to get rid of the Potter boy, as well as retrieve his daughter and somehow convince her to go home—force will be used, if needed.
Stealth is a must.
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"Where are you taking me?" Hermione asked in a barely audible whisper, as he held her hand, running through a construction site, they were glad that they were no longer gaining stares from every direction. He didn't answer her, but he just kept running, grasping her hand. "I demand that you tell me where you're taking me!" She ordered, feeling tears of frustration welling up in her eyes.
Harry stopped, making Hermione hit his back hard from the impact.
"Harry where—Wow." She was standing in front of a humongous bookstore, empty, too. "What are we doing here?" She asked quietly.
"Don't tell me that you've forgotten your birthday." He whispered to her, as they both stared on the huge 3-floor bookstore in front of them. "I had them open 3 days early for you. And you can get as much as you want."
"My birthday's tomorrow." She said angrily.
"It's 12 o'clock." He retorted.
She giggled nervously. "Oh."
"Go on, I know you want to. It's like bringing a kid to a candy store. You're the kid, and that's the candy store." He said to her, smiling.
"Can I?" She asked sheepishly, she didn't await an answer as she dashed off inside the store, smiling widely to herself.
The bookstore was huge. It had 3 floors, and it had every book she wanted. The book cases were made of ebony, and the carpeted floors were a dashing color of green. She looked up, to see a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There was a multi-story window with a wonderful view of New York. She felt like crying, and at some point she wanted to live in it, eternally reading, and gaining more knowledge. Perhaps she could find a book on how to start restraining orders... for those men in suits anyway.
It took her 3 hours, 3 very excruciating hours on Harry's part. He spent those three hours falling asleep in the children's corner, cuddled up in a ball on top of a humongous bean bag—thinking that Hermione wouldn't go there—and fighting the urge to leave her.
"Thanks." She told him, she was extremely pale, and she had a few strands of hair out of place. He was carrying two bags full of books for her.
"Happy Birthday, Casey." He said quietly. Ignoring the fierce hug that she engulfed him in. Her body went limp, and he dropped the bags to the floor.
"Are you okay?" He asked her, finally breaking free from her grasp then set her on the ground, he poked her face. "Pssh. Asleep." He muttered to himself. "Casey, what am I really going to do with you?" He sighed, and then he decided to carry her, surprised that she was actually light, he set her inside the car, then picked up the heavy bags of books and placed them in the car trunk. He told the driver to bring them home. He observed her while she slept, her mouth was slightly open, and her hair was messy, she looked, somewhat adorable, he shook his head, trying to shake off his thoughts. He looked over his seat, and then found a Polaroid camera.
He smiled mischievously then pointed it to her face.
"I told you that I wanted to see your face." He said darkly.
---
"HARRY JAMES POTTER YOU ARE DEAD TO ME!" Draco and Ginny jumped at Hermione's frantic screams, making Ginny's orange juice pour down her shirt. They rolled their eyes. And they continued on with breakfast as if they hadn't heard her.
Hermione emerged from her room, with drawings on her face. She had a mustache, glasses, pimples and a beard. She looked like she came from a daycare center and somehow fell asleep there—that's dangerous. "Look at what that git did to me!" She cried, staring at the mirror in horror.
"Happy Birthday!" Draco and Ginny yelled, laughing loudly at her. "You should go to work like that." Ginny suggested, trying hard to keep a serious expression.
"Very mature, kids. Very mature." She remarked, her words drenched in sarcasm, she sat down on the breakfast table, silently.
"You're calling us immature?" Draco said, shocked. "Well—who's the one crying about having little drawings on her face?"
Ginny batted her eyebrows at her, laughing loudly as she received a scowl.
"I can't go to work!" She complained. "That insufferable man you call friend is such a—"
"You rang?" He entered the flat, taking a seat on the breakfast table, ignoring the glares that Hermione sent him. "Good morning Casey." He said, and pressed his lips together. Trying to stifle his laugh.
He stared at her, searching her face for something. "Did you change your hair?" He asked innocently. Receiving scowls from her.
"Okay—" He said, finally giving in to laughter, "You—Look—Funny." He said in between his laughs. "I'm going to take a picture." He held up his Polaroid camera and took a snapshot of Hermione. She crossed her arms over her chest, and huffed.
"Give me the damn picture, Potter." She threatened. "Give. Me. The. Damn. Picture."
"No." He teased, smirking. "What are you gonna do? Huh? If I don't feel like giving it?"
Harry gasped in pain as he saw Hermione pour her glass of coffee all over his shirt. She got up, and headed towards her room. The three looked at each other, all of their jaws dropped. He felt like his skin was burning.
"Happy Birthday." He mumbled to no one in particular, he was unsure whether she'd hear it, he was bewildered.
Enchanted.
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The marks on her face were gone after a cold shower. She smiled happily to herself since Harry gave her a day off—she smiled happily to herself when she recounted the incident of pouring hot coffee over his too expensive shirt. She wanted to do so much today, probably go to the grocery and do some errands, or take a dip in the pool, or maybe even read more books. She could stay in and use her laptop, or probably watch television.
She dressed up, deciding that she'd stay in and enjoy a good movie.
To her surprise, someone she didn't want to see was sitting in front of the TV engrossed in a talk show.
"What are you doing here?" She whined, picking a movie from her collection.
"Since you're staying here, I came to accompany you. I've nothing to do, so I thought that I'd watch some TV. It's been a long time since I saw myself on Leno."
"Egotistic git." Hermione said under her breath, sitting down on the couch. "I'm watching a movie."
"No you won't." He remarked.
"Yes. I will."
"No you won't, Casey, don't be difficult."
"I'm not a child!" She exclaimed.
"Yes, you are." He raised an eyebrow at her, and tapping his forefinger on her button nose. Clearly enjoying the moment.
"Shut up!" She said, angered by his very existence. Locking herself in her own room, sinking down to the floor. "I don't want to spend the day with you—leave me alone!"
"Casey, are you there?" She heard frantic knocking on her door. She stayed on her bed, curled up in a ball. Hugging her pillow tightly.
"Casey." He gruffed, "Fine. I'm going to work."
She heard the door slam loudly, and his footsteps disappeared.
The annoying churning of her stomach made her feel the worst. She gave up, and opened the door.
"Harry?" She called, searching for him.
No one answered.
---
Ronald Weasley paced the marble floors of his room, the footsteps of his shoes echoing. His fiery red hair was messy, and he was cussing under his breath as he continued to asses the situation. He was sure of it—that Lady Isabella was a much more intriguing woman, lovely. She's much better than Hermione—she hasn't even shown up in years! But somehow, the Grangers kept insisting that if Hermione didn't return in a month or two, Ron would be able to choose his betrothed on his own.
Frantic knocking on his door snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Ronald! It's the Grangers!" his mother's voice echoed throughout the mansion.
He picked up the phone nervously, recklessly dropping it from shock.
"Ronald, we've found her." Sounded the triumphant voice of Richard Granger, "But we need a plan first." He continued, "Are you in or are you out?"
"I'm in." The redhead finally answered, after a pregnant pause. Unbeknownst to what he has gotten himself into.
"Okay, this is what you'll do..." Richard began...
---
Ginny felt like crying, she'd just received a call from Ronald, ordering her to return home.
Her home was here—in New York! With Draco, Hermione, and Harry.
"Ronald, why?" She whispered into her phone.
"They've found her—Hermione! You need to come home, mother's asking for you." He said smugly, and he was eerily cheerful. He didn't like Hermione at all, he mistreated her in some ways.
"Oh. Hermione's found? That's great!" She tried to sound enthusiastic, but she couldn't help but feel dread for her best friend "Please, Ron. Give me a month." She pleaded. "I need a month. Tell mother that I am fine."
"Fine." He grumbled. Ginny felt a wave of relief sweep through her, if Ron weren't so blind to her mother's plans—who knows, she might be the next Hermione. "Take care, sister." He said quietly then brought down the phone.
She rolled her eyes, Ron may be up to something.
---
Her voice echoed throughout the flat, she expected Harry to turn up by now. For a brief moment, she considered confronting him. But where was he?
Knock knock.
Harry opened his door to see who came knocking on his door, yawning. He saw a petite woman, her curly hair a shade of black mixed with brown just above her shoulders, her arms crossed over her chest. He raised his eyebrow, staring down at her.
"Do you have a split personality disorder or something?" She told him.
"I—" He started, but Hermione cut him off.
"I mean, one moment you seem likable, and the next you're the most insufferable git I've ever had the misfortune to meet!"
"Casey—I—"
"If you just want to hate me for the rest of my life then go ahead! I'm not forcing you to like me! At some situations you're nice, but don't give me hope that some person like you would ever change." She scowled at him.
"Well?" She asked after a pregnant pause full of tension between them, "Don't you have something to say?"
He only stared at her, then slammed the door. As if he never heard her...
But he did.
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"He's so infuriating, Ginerva!" Hermione screamed into her phone. "God, at some point I just want to push him off the building and—"
"Hermione, they know. They know where you are!" She said worriedly. "They're going to find you and—"
"Relax. Relax... What am I going to do? I don't have enough money to rent an apartment or buy a house and such." She panicked, pacing the room.
"You could live with me." Harry offered, suddenly entering the flat, taking a seat on the sofa. "Say hi to Ginny for me."
"Is that Harry?" Ginny asked, "Yes! He can live with you!"
"Ginerva. Please. I wouldn't be that stupid to stay there." She complained. "I can't even handle him at work! What more if I live with him! Ugh! Honestly—"
Harry cleared his throat, making Hermione turn red from embarrassment—or from anger.
"I happen to have a house in Manhattan." He said smartly. "3 bedrooms, by the beach, sweet smell of the sea, the relaxing waves by the shore, barbeques and hot tubs..."
"I don't care about your bloody house!" she snapped from her trance, she always wanted a house by the beach, and returned to her conversation with Ginny.
"So it's settled, you're moving in with Harry! This will be fun!" She exclaimed, then brought down the phone. Leaving Hermione's jaw dropped in shock, and her face drained of all color.
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A/N: Like it? I hope you guys did. Hee hee, at least there was a tad bit of tension . Thanks to ginsensu for suggesting the 'pouring the coffee' part. And to pstibbons for suggesting the 'granger POV' part.
This was my playlist while I wrote this story:
"Here is Gone", "Iris" and "Slide" by the Goo Goo Dolls. "Drops of Jupiter" By Train. "White Houses" By Vanessa Carlton. "Stolen", "Vindicated", "Screaming Infidelites" and "Hands Down" By Dashboard Confessional. "Always" and "I Miss You" by Blink 182
Check them out if you want to. :D